Road-maintainer



- APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4, I919. 1,328,910.

J. BOLTON. ROAD MAINTAINER.

Patented J an. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

1. BOLTON.

ROAD MAINTAINER. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 4. 1919.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- amen-toe shown in United JAMES BOLTON, OF COUNCIL 13LUFFS, IOWA.

nosn-iuarn'raritnn.

, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 27, 1920.

Application filed October 4, 1919. Serial No. 328,447.

and useful Improvements in Road-Main tainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a road maintainer, and has for its. object to provide certain features found to be of advantage for use in connection with the construction States Letters Patent No. 1,127,880, issued Feby 2, 1915, to James Bolton for a road drag, said features including means for adjusting and maintaining the endsof the scraper-blade in elevated or lowered positions to conform to the transverse curvature of a road bed, together with means for quickly elevating the scraper blade, and means to maintain the blade in an elevated position.

The invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described herein and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying draw ing, wherein,-

Figure 1 is a plan view of a road maintainer embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the road maintainer looking at its near side. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the vehicle frame on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the front wheels being omitted and the hand-levers being shown in a lowered position.

Referring now to the drawing for a more particular description, the invention is illus trated in connection with a vehicle frame 4 approximately of V-shape, provided with suitable cross-plates 5, 6 and 7, said vehicle to be driven upon a roadway by any suitable power, for removing rough parts there of and filling pit-holes or pockets and for moving the surface of the ground toward the middle of a roadway.

Numerals 8 indicate a pair of brackets which are secured to the sides of the frame, said brackets providing pivotal mountings for a pair of draw-bars 9 which extend rearwardly and downwardly for a rigid mounting upon a rectilinear scraper-blade 10, near the ends thereof. At 11 is indicated a third draw-bar having its rear end rigidly secured upon the scraper-blade midway between the ends thereof, its front end being connected with a clevis 12 which is adapted toswing from the cross-plate 5.

At 13 is indicated a cross-plate which is disposed above the top of the frame and is suitably secured thereto; upon said crossplate being mounted certain devices for a control of the movements of the scraperblade.

At 14 are indicated a pair of brackets which are secured to the sides of the vehicle frame, each providing a mounting for a downwardly extending spiral spring 15. Numerals 16 indicate a pair of tilting-levers, each having its front end connected with the lower end of a spring 15, and an operator while stationed on the seat 17 may press downwardly upon the pedals 18. for press. ing the blade into theground, said levers l6, midway between their ends, bearing upon guides a of the scraper-blade, an undue swinging movement of said blade transversely of the frame being prevented. by a pair of chains 19, the inner ends of said chains being mounted upon a hanger 20 which is secured to the cross-plate 6, and their outer ends being mounted upon suit able brackets b which are secured to the outer ends of the scraper blade. The constructionthus described is shown and fully explained in the Letters Patent above referred to and thereforethese features are not claimed in the present instance.

In order that adjustments may be made to permit either end of the scraper blade to be elevated or lowered so that a roadway may be formed somewhat higher at its middle, and that ditches or gutters may be formed at its sides, I provide a pair of toothed sectors 21 which are rigidly secured upon the ends of the cross-plate 13, upon each sector being pivotally mounted, between its ends, a hand-lever 22, provided with a pawl-rod and pawl, asshown in the draw- 1119, provided with a chain 23 having its lower end mounted upon a bracket 1), and it will be understood that a rearward swinging movement of either one of levers 22 will cause an elevation of that end of the scraper blade adjacent thereto, the opposite end of said blade be ng permitted to be disposed at a lower altitude, and when an operator the inner end of each lever 22 being resses downwardly upon one of the pedals It will benoted that, by use of the levers 22, the scraper blade may be so adjusted that a greater or lesser part of the surface of the ground will be moved as may be re quired, since said blade may be maintained at various altitudes, and that road beds may have greater or lesser transverse inclinations, and also that the scraper blade may be maintained in a horizontal position.

J ournaled adjacent to its ends in the sectors 21, is a shaft 24 which is provided at its ends with grooved segments 25, and is also provided midway between its ends with a grooved segment 26, a pair of chains 27 being employed for connecting the segments with the brackets b of the scraper blade. In order that the blade may be quickly elevated when moving over obstructions, I i provide a comparatively short tilting-lever 28, having its inner end connected with and adapted to swing from the hanger 20, its outer end being provided with a treadle 29, a chain 30 being employed for connecting the lever 28, midway between its ends, with the segment 26, and it will be understood that a downward swinging movement of the lever 28, will cause the scraper-blade to move upwardly, the proportion of parts being such I that the blade may be quickly elevated.

I provide means for maintaining the scraper blade in an elevated position, this being required when driving the vehicle over bridges, or from one location to another, the means herein shown consisting of a hook 31,which is mounted upon the crossplate 13, adapted to be inserted in a staple 32 of the grooved segment 26 after the blade has been elevated by use of the tilting-bar 28.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A road maintainer, comprising, in comof draw-bars pivotally connected with the vehicle frame, a scraper-blade below the vehicle frame connected with the draw-bars, a

pair of toothed sectors mounted upon the cross-plate adjacent to the ends thereof, hand-levers pivotally mounted on the sectors, a pair of flexible members each being connected with a hand-lever and the scraperblade, a shaft journaled in the toothed sectors and provided with grooved segments, flexible members connecting the grooved segments with the scraper-blade, a tilting-bar arranged to swing from the hanger, and a flexible member connecting the tilting-bar with one of the grooved segments of said shaft.

2. A road maintainer, comprising in com bination with a vehicle frame havin r a cross-plate provided with a pair of toothed sectors, a pair of draw-bars pivotally connected with the frame, a scraper-blade connected with the draw-bars, hand-levers pivotally mounted between their ends on the toothed sectors, flexible members connecting the hand-levers with the scraper-blade, a tilting-bar disposed below and connected withthe cross-plate, said tilting bar having a connection with one of the grooved segments of the shaft and adapted to have a swinging movement for elevating the scraper-blade, and cooperative fastening devices on the cross-plate and one of the segments of the shaft for maintaining the scraper-blade in an elevated position.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES BOLTON. Witnesses: V 1

HIRAM A. Srunens, ALEX. D. HINE. 

